A Qualitative Study of Adaptation to the Euro in the Republic of Ireland
II: Errors, Strategies, and Making Sense of the New Currency
Abstract
Abstract. This is the second of two reports using semistructured interviews to explore the current and recollected experiences of Irish people for the period before, during, and after the introduction of Euro notes and coins (1 January 2002). A total of 24 adults were interviewed between October 2002 and February 2003. Most people felt they were adapting well although their knowledge of new prices tended to be fairly sparse. Some reported still experiencing confusion with notes and coins or making errors associated with habitual behavior based on the value of the former currency, the punt. Initially respondents had routinely attempted to make mental or electronic comparisons of Euro and punt prices, although this had become more selective. One year after the transition, some respondents claimed to be thinking in Euros, while others were still thinking in punts. People's reported experience appeared to reveal an adaptation strategy comprising at least two stages, initially involving currency conversion, but later focusing on the relearning of reference prices for certain exemplars.
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